General Chat

For the very first time I did not vote yesterday. This was mainly because I didn't agree with the idea of Police Commissioners in the first place.

Secondly, I only got one leaflet through the door from one of the candidates and that is the only thing I saw anywhere in our area about the vote. I do not even know the names of some of the candidates.

I would have gone to the polling station and spoiled my vote but if I had that would have counted in the overall number of votes cast and I thought that the only real thing left open to me was to influence the turnout figure by not turning out at all.

The very low turnout should show the government that they have no real mandate for this decision and also means that they can't then say that unions calling for industrial action when the turnout is low is wrong.

Kath. x

I have to admit we used our postal vote and because it was a few weeks before the actual vote I did look on line. Also, like Jude belong to 38 degrees. But I had also seen information in our local paper so maybe we were lucky.

The only thing is, people didn't vote but it didn't stop the comissioners being appointed. I don't know yet who got in in this area but by voting I hoped to prevent one of the candidates getting in that I felt would not be a good choice rather than the other way round.

Buit, as has been said, we have a democracy so freedom to vote or not to vote.

And Sheila, yes we too had more info about Bristol than anywhere else in the region. That and the election of their mayor has dominated our TV. :-(

Apart from there being no coverage where I live leaving me without a clue who our candidates were.....I agree with Porkie and Rose.......and Lynda

I didn't vote cos i don't agree with them and the staff they will have to employ. Also they will have little knowledge of policing.

My bias comes from the good old days when i was a 30 years member of a Borough police force. The chief constable was responsible to the chairman of the Watch Committee and almost nothing to the home office. Now they want to add another layer of administration on top of home office interference.

Local people ran a local force until someone said that big was beautiful. A great mistake which brought in non local officers with no knowledge or real interest in the area they were policing.

Some changes would have had to be made to accommodate modern factors of life, but there is no getting away from the fact that for 9 things in ten of policing is best done at a small level - people concern themselves mainly with what happens in their street.

Rant over. Best wishes

Happy days

Merlin, are you saying that there should have been a referendum about having this vote? That would have cost just as much

Personally I would not have been in favour of this election, but it happened so I voted.

Interesting mathematics by one politician saying the 100 million pounds would pay for 3000 more bobbies.

4 years to the next election for PCC so the pay for each policeman per annum would be £8,333. I expect they would have to pay for their uniforms and equipment out of that.

KenSE. yes we can have it as we want, its our money they are wasting,we should have been consulted as to if we wanted these Police Commissioners ,not have it foisted upon us. Thats why most people refused to vote.**M**.

That money could pay for another couple of bobbies on the beat in each area.
I used a postal vote but we only had one leaflet and that was tory and delivered on Tuesday - Not a dickie bird from anyone else.

I rather my £2 goes to a worthy cause

There seems to be a general complaint that it cost too much and not enough publicity was given.

You can't have it both ways, £100 million is only about £2 per elector, you would probably have to add another 50 milllion to that if each candidate was allowed a free mailshot.

So, it would appear from this thread alone, that more people DID'NT vote, than DID.
And is there any wonder. I do not think it is the job of the electorate to google around to find their candidates. It is the job of the candidate, to make himself/herself, known to the electorate. And, if they cannot do that, for whatever reason, then they do not deserve to get a vote.
Where all that money has been spent, as mentioned, heaven only knows, because is certainly was not on publicity, travel to meet the prospective electorate, hiring of halls, etc., to put forth their case, etc.
And why do we need them at all.
Reminds me of the Americans electing a sherrif, a D.A., a Mayor.
Just jobs for the boys.

Very disenchanted in Derbyshire

And I didnt vote either,

They want my vote,they come and tell me who they are,what their aims are,why my vote would count, take onboard my views,,,,,,we got nothing at all....a card though the post.which was more like an invite to a function where you know nobody.!

Its not my job to *google* who they were,,,,,,,,,its up to them to make me aware of who they are.

Turn out where I live was dire from what Ive heard from some at polling stations.......

Do I agree with what their target aims are--------No,,,,,,nothing much will change from what it is now only the costing and then the uproar will begin !!,,,,,,,its not the policing that needs changing its the next level up---had it been a vote for changes in the law, its offenders,and stronger sentencing in many areas of crime then the vote rate would have topped all expectations.

I dont think it was apathy,just no commnication to voters.

The money it cost for this stupid vote.......could have employed a few thousand more Bobbies !!

Tax Money wasted !!!

I didn't vote either.
No information, no voting card, no leaflet, no nothing.

100 million spent? I smell a rat. Maybe they didn't want people to vote?

We didn't vote either because there was absolutely no coverage in the area . No info given or candidates names or what it was all about. We talked it over and agreed we couldn't honestly vote for something and someone we knew nothing about.

well I just googled to see who was standing in Cardiff - there were three, two of whom I had never heard of - anywhere - the other I had heard of and wouldn't vote for him to run a raffle

No Rose, Leave it in, :-D He might read it and take the hint. :-D

lol I did leave out a nought Merlin, I shall rectify that !

I didn't vote either, I don't really know anything about the candidates, or the job they will do, Just like I wouldn't know anything about choosing the chairman for Marks and Spencers. Most candidates were political, what the point of that?

I never get the point of saying, "you have a vote, you should use it" yes I may have a vote, and I choose not to use it or not. That's real freedom.

Rose, And the band played on. as they say.Plus, I think you missed out a nought. :-D